Iridescence
by unnafraher
Summary: After joining the Pro Leagues together, Juudai and Johan set off to begin their respective futures. Competition may just be a pretense for finding their place in the world. -Set a few months after the series.-
1. Desultory

All right, the start of this fanfiction! Where to begin? Well, I think that this one has a lot of potential depending on how much attention I pay to what I am doing...Nothing much else to say, really, for I do not want to give away too much about what I have planned for the next few chapters.

Major, major thanks to **avalokannon **who looked over this and made a lot of corrections and virtually wrote the beginning of this chapter.

**Disclaimer**: _I do not own _Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. _All characters will be responsibly handled. Any damage to brain cells is totally not my fault. This is your fair warning, 'kays?_

* * *

Indistinct. A few beeps here and there, like droplets on a leaf. Then a steady, vague noise.

Johan Andersen opened his eyes. His eyes drifted to his right, and the blurry world resolved to the sterile and dimly lit interior of an aeroplane. Yuuki Juudai was assaulting a defenseless PSP with agile fingers. The waking boy considered the youth next to him who, despite being a guranteed star in the world of Duel Monsters and a savior of the entire world, still found time to mess around with video games. Johan, himself a boy of just nineteen, smiled his ever-present smile and tittered quietly.

"Having fun, Juudai?"

Juudai paused his game and set the white PSP on the large arm rest of his chair. Of course it was not large by first-class standards, but it was large by their standards, having never done too much traveling by air.

"You know, it's hardly three a.m." To give backing to his point, Juudai pressed a button on his PSP and slid it over to Johan. Three hours and six minutes was displayed in the top left corner.

"Ah...Good evening?" Johan tried, sounding bemused. "Glad to see you in any case, Juudai!" He smiled.

"Mm, glad to see you, too. While you were sleeping the flight lady came through here...She should be back again soon."

"I would think so, since they patrol first-class every fifteen minutes, I think."

"Much better than economy. I can stretch my legs." Juudai demonstrated by bringing his feet up the edge of his seat and then extending them until they glanced the seat in front of him. "Very awesome!" the brunet caroled.

"Mmhm," Johan agreed. He stretched as well, then reached into his carry-on. Juudai watched as he dug around in his bag, vaguely interested in what would be pulled out.

What was pulled out was a rather thick book written in English and covered with photographs of Jun and Edo on the back and front respectively. Juudai eyed the thing while Johan sat it down and turned to Juudai.

"Haven't you finished reading that?" Juudai asked, almost querulous. "It's not as though you need any help with your strategy or technique."

"I've finished reading it, but I want to review it. And it's fun to read all the references about you. Edo speaks highly of you, you know."

"Yeah, I've heard that from too many people too many times. Go back to sleep or something, dude. You need it," Juudai said with a quick wave of his hand.

"Heh, okay, then. See you in New York," Johan added in an attempt at humor. Juudai smiled at him as he rolled onto to his side to face the window. Within minutes he was sleeping.

Juudai, now in silence--or as much silence as there ever is on an aeroplane--relaxed himself. His mind refused to let up, though, thoughts darting like agitated pigeons. It was not his fault that he could not calm it--nor was it the fault of anyone on earth, but rather someone who was currently missing in action: Yubel. He had become so used to her presence that, after she had decided to take a "rest", he was admittedly lost without it. On one level he almost felt empty, naked on another for part of his soul was seemingly missing. Also, with the lack of Yubel moving in his mind, came a lack of some sort of connection with Johan. Juudai had not forgotten Johan in any way, but Yubel was their shared experience, as painful or pleasant as it was. Both of them had had to deal with her and both had been influenced heavily by her—Johan had been turned against his friends and used as bait while Juudai was forced to grow up to fit into the role handed down to him by his former life. And since both of them had had Yubel attached to their soul for some time, they were in a way entwined souls, albeit indirectly through an unknowing philanthropist.

A polite snoring came from Juudai's left. That was another thing troubling his mind, though he could not place why Johan was such a concern. Ever since the restoration of the world from the realm of darkness, Johan had been with Juudai, both directly and indirectly through letters and e-mails and telephone calll. Of course he had gone back to finish his year at North School and tie up loose ends, but after everything was sorted out he took off for Japan with a one-way ticket and his entire life packed away neatly in two suitcases. Juudai was not surprised to see Johan arrive on his apartment verandah, for over the weeks spent apart they had discussed Johan moving in with him until they were ready to enter the Pro Leagues together. There were other things to sort out, but soon enough they had signed contracts and aeroplane tickets to New York to meet their respective managers and sponsors.

It was all happening at a quick pace, Juudai admitted, and one he was not particularly thrilled with. He was not sure of Johan's feelings on the matter, but he would place a bet on the European not being too concerned about the speed at which the events in his life were progressing. Juudai was not really the type to complain about excitement--actually more the type that even sought such events. But all of this was becoming too much for him. Yet, when faced with the topic in conversation with Johan or anyone else (his parents were still not too thrilled to have their son set off so soon), he pretended vague disinterest. So as it was, he agreed to the storm whipping him halfway around the world and into an alien environment which would be the breeding ground for his career.

Juudai sighed and rested his elbow on the arm rest. His other hand played with his PSP, sliding it around the clean and smooth plastic. The stewardess cycled through (just as Johan had predicted) and took Juudai's request for two mineral waters, one sparkling and the other plain. While he waited on the stewardess Hane Kuriboh appeared and looked at Juudai playfully. It somersaulted through the air and came to rest on his head. "Yeah, yeah, you're cute, buddy" Juudai said lightly as he reached up toward his head to stroke his duel spirit, the gift from the King of Games himself. Juudai sighed as he petted his constant and docile companion. It was not much, but it was enough to relax him and coax a yawn from his lips.

The tiny duel spirit cried a jovial _kuri kuri _and descended from his head, settled itself on his lap. Juudai put away his PSP and leafed through the book Johan had left out for him. _Two Sides of the Same Game_; not a very subtle play on words with more than one meaning, but it got the job done. The book was authored by both Edo and Jun and contained commentaries and annotations on the "best" duels in the recent history of Duel Monsters. Many of the duels featured Juudai and a notable opponent—there had been many of those since his enrollment at Duel Academia, after all.

By and by, Juudai grew bored reading about his duels, falling asleep with his head hung and his back slumped. Hane Kuriboh, who had fallen asleep some time earlier, was jolted from its sleep as Juudai's body began to move as though he were dueling. The spirit regarded its master before disappearing.

The stewardess, a mousy girl with obsidian eyes and stiff hair, was more than a bit annoyed to find that the two of them had fallen asleep while waiting on their ordered water. It had only been ten minutes; or so she swore.

Juudai was the first one to wake again. They were close to landing now. Beneath the plane Los Angeles was spread out and doted with twinkling lights, a constellation in the night sky. As the descent began, Juudai poked Johan's shoulder and motioned towards the window with his other hand. Johan, still a drowsy, blinked away the water pooling in his eyes as he looked at the city below them, trying to comprehend what exactly was going on. Ruby and Hane Kuriboh joined the two boys in gazing at the miniature urban landscape.

"They look...like...little dolls," Johan stated, his words punctuated by great gaps of silence. Juudai nodded in agreement as though Johan had just said something very profound that could be agreed with.

"Mmm. A relfection of the night sky, only more close to home."

"Sure," Johan said. He rubbed his eyes and then yawned. The time change _was_ really getting to him. "I need some coffee. Or a smack in the face."

Juudai grinned—a real grin that really was not mischievous—and raised his hand. Gently, he tapped the side of Johan's face and laughed. "There you are."

"I mean a real smack. Thump! A real stimulus," Johan said. He was a bit more alert now, laughing.

Ruby said something to Hane Kuriboh. Hane Kuriboh said something in a tone that may have suggested curtness.

Johan placed a hand on his cheek and then tilted his head. He considered Juudai for a moment. The he said "So this is it, eh? One more connecting flight and we'll be in New York. I've never liked apples too much, though."

"Apples?"

"Well, yeah, it's called the 'Big Apple'...Isn't it?"

"Huh. I wonder why. Maybe they grow apples on the roofes of the buildings? I bet the trees get great sunlight."

"Or maybe there is a worm wiggling inside the city, like in an apple."

They both laughed, waking up a few around them and earning them a strange look or two.

By the time they touched down in the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) the sky had begun to show signs of a breaking dawn. Though against the clouds stained orange by the city lights, the lightening sky seemed almost artificial, the curvature of the sky starkly accented; there really was a dome over the world, Johan thought.

After making it through customs, both boys agreed on a coffee shop for a quick breakfast. Johan got an espresso (decaffeinate) and a chocolate muffin while Juudai grabbed a mocha and the most appetizing bagel he could find. Their connecting flight was twenty minutes behind schedule so they waited by their gate, eating their food and chatting about pointless things as good friends are known to do. A challenge was offered, but Johan declined, pointing out to Juudai that their plane could arrive at any moment. So they continued to chat until their flight arrived—an hour and thirty-six minutes late.

The flight to New York was a direct connect, so Johan fell asleep but Juudai lingered, annoyed, on that fine edge of waking and sleeping. The noises around him were distant, but he could not fall asleep; even now Yubel was protecting him. He was grateful, even if it kept him from snoozing.

Johan was woken up by Juudai when they were ten minutes outside of the airport. He found it much easier to wake up this time, delighted that they were finally this close to New York. He scanned the city's skyline looking for buildings he recognized from movies and postcards. This grew old, however, and he decided that Domino had a much more memorable and interesting skyline—especially with the Kaiba Corporation building. He noticed Juudai staring sullenly at the foreign city.

Juudai, as an adventurer, was thrilled at the prospect of such a new place. How many new opponents and faces there were for him he did not know, but he was sure there were hundreds. Yet looking at the place, the tall buildings absently reflecting the gray sky and the steely ocean, he could not connect with such a place and that scared him. He didn't know even the difference between Wall Street and Fifth Avenue.

For a moment Juudai became overwhelmed by the fact that he really did have no idea what he was doing. Throwing everything to the wind, travelling to a foreign place, pressing through life while Yubel "slept"—it was all becoming too much for him, and then Johan placed a hand on his shoulder and applied but the slightest pressure.

"It'll be all right, Juudai." His smile was sterling.

"It will, won't it?" Juudai looked at Johan, the boy he had almost condemned to a fate of dwelling in quiet solitude. He had once heard that heaven was a very quiet place where a soul was euphoric because it simply rested—this was not the place Johan had been. No, he knew,_ that_ place had been much darker even if he had just been resting.

"Of course. Easy as apple pie."

And Juudai believed him. As long as Johan was with him—his best friend by his side—everything just _had_ to be all right. Because he would not—could not—let it be any other way.

When they exited the plane and arrived in the terminal via the boarding they were immediately greeted by a smartly dressed chauffer who handled the gathering of their bags and their transport ahead to the hotel. Juudai and Johan were then led to a freezing parking garage where an unmarked limo awaited. The two boys slid into the warmed interior of the car and were greeted by three better dressed men—their sponsor and respective managers. All three were Caucasians who could stand to lose a few pounds but, as they were in their glorious golden years, could not find the inspiration to make it their personal gym--or just hire a personal trainer. The managers both had graying hair while the sponsor's looked recently dyed, a frosty blonde that was at odds with his orange tan, which itself was at odds with the season. All three exuded an air of affluence.

"It's a pleasure," Johan offered. The three men introduced themselves.

He forgot their names almost immediately and only picked them up again when the three of them talked and referred to one another as they spoke to Juudai.

Some time during the process of going over the outlines of plans for their futures Johan fell asleep. He was awakened by a grinning Juudai when they arrived twenty-two minutes later at their hotel.

They thanked the three men, exited the limo, and allowed the chauffeur from earlier to bring in their bags. After checking in they settled into the hotel's restaurant for a three-course dinner at four in the afternoon. When they finally reached their respective rooms Johan, who was affected far worse than Juudai by both jet lag and the time change, made it as far as the leather couch before crashing into a desperate slumber. Juudai was gone soon, too, but he managed to shower, change, and make it to a proper bed.

Both of them dreamed peculiar things that evening in New York. Strange things that really meant something only between them.


	2. Probe

I'm surprised by how many hits this story got! I know Spiritshipping pieces tend to get more hits but...

Thanks to every person who clicked on this story, and extra special thanks to all those who reviewed.

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own _Yu-Gi-Oh! DM GX _in any shape or form nor is this in any way affiliated with TV Tokyo, Konami, _et cetera_. Insert more legal jargon here._

* * *

At first Juudai thought that he was dreaming himself calling his own name, but at some point he thought that perhaps he recognized the voice beckoning him. Then he realized that a part of himself had finally returned to him.

"Yubel?"

He was in a dark place, a plane the stretched out beyond comprehension in its vastness. The horizon glowed a dull gold and faded to pink in some. He was unsure of whether it was dawn or dusk, though he thought that it really did not matter. Turning his body, Juudai smiled faintly at the materializing form.

"Yes, my Juudai?" Yubel asked in a voice that was markedly feminine as she reached out a hand and stroked Juudai's cheek reverently. She smiled when Juudai touched her hand with his and brought them to his left breast.

"It's good to have you back," he said quietly.

"I never was gone. Rather, just resting a bit."

"It must have been a light sleep, then. I felt you protecting me even while you rested."

"I will protect you always," Yubel added calmly.

"Of course. We won't seperate again, even if I die and my soul is flung across the dimensions." And as he said this he felt their bond and promises congealing so that a spangle of faint blue light was also visible on the horizon. "Now tell me about what you've been up to."

"There is nothing worth relating to you. Rather, tell me of what troubles you these days. These...aeroplanes...are very uncomfortable places, aren't they?"

Juudai grinned, his face brightened by a simple mirth. "Hah, yeah. Definitely not for the claustrophobic. Though neither is New York."

"Ah, yes, the place where my Juudai will claim his crown in this lifetime."

"You bet! I'm not stopping until I'm the King of Games; I've even got Yuugi's blessing."

"That darkness has conferred blessings to fellow darkness is a very great sign. I have never doubted your greatness, but his confidence only makes me more assured of your imminent success."

"Mmhm! It's time for the king of the next generation to stand up!" Juudai said.

Yubel smiled too and even laughed. "And being able to witness your rise to power shall bring me such a profound pleasure." The blue band on the horizon exploded into a great number of colors as the sun rose on that plane. Her Juudai would obtain his crown, she thought, and for that she was truly blessed.

* * *

Juudai was the first one to wake up, but Johan was the first to actually get out of bed. The latter had been jolted awake by an alarm he could not remember setting. After giving it a second of thought, he figured that someone had come in during the night and set it for him, someone who knew of his difficulty with the time change.

Though Johan was excited to get out into the city, he was equally exhausted. The kind of exhaustion that hung over him—as though it were a thick miasma of jet lag— was the kind that pervades every muscle, so that he could of sworn that even his diaphragm was aching. But this did little to dispirit him, as he was smiling down at the perpetual migration of identical taxis with a certain childish light about his face. As such, Johan was leaning against the back of the mauve couch and peering out of his window when there was a knocking on his door.

Gathering himself, Johan pulled his gaze from the streets below and hurried over to the door. A glance into the peephole revealed Juudai to be the one knocking. Johan was quick to admit Juudai into the hotel room and usher him over to the couch as they exchanged a round "good morning". Johan sent down for coffee and then joined his friend on the couch.

"So, Yubel's back?" Johan asked.

"Yeah. Though she never was really away, you know."

Johan nodded. There was a silence for a few moments, and then Juudai sighed and cupped his head in his hands. "So what do you want to do today?"

"Well, we could go sightseeing. You know, to get a feel for the city and get an idea of where everything is. And I want to check out the Kaiba Corp building here—"

There was another knocking on the door which Johan knew to be the concierge bringing up their coffee. Quickly he went to the door and opened it, tipped the man who shut the door after him, and returned with the steaming drinks in hand. Juudai took his and nursed it in the manner that one nurses hot coffee—blowing into the sealed cup sometimes and just setting it to his lips without drinking other times.

They conversed over coffee and tried to decide on what to do next. Their next meeting was not until tomorrow so they had free reign until then. Both decided that they needed a better grip on the city and its workings, but they could not figure on how to proceed. So it was decided that they would just wander about until lunch time. Maybe they would take a ferry to Staten Island.

And so, after washing and dressing, they set out.

After taking the subway once they resolved to stick with taxis. For about twenty minutes Juudai compared the state of the New York subways to those of Domino and Tokyo, but he was cut off by their taxi jerking and wheeling and ultimately crashing into the back of another taxi. But before the two boys could gather their wits and ask what had happened, the cabbie had cursed the other cabbie and continued on his way to Central Park. And so they learned that accidents were not that big of a deal in such a harried city.

Lunch was had at a restaurant not too far into Central Park. Bordered mirrors hung in the interior of the building, while trees with leaves dyed colors appropriate for the season formed a cool, natural canopy over the patio which wrapped around halfway the main building. Johan was careful to keep his scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. Once when he was adjusting it, he saw over his shoulder a woman who he swore he recognized from an American television program, but she was gone before he could point her out to Juudai. When they finished eating they paid the bill with funds allotted by their sponsor and continued further into the park. They were passed by a great manner of people, from street performers to rollerbladers and families riding in open, horse-drawn carriages. Several times they were stopped by children (and a few teenagers) who asked for Juudai's autograph. Two of these children wandered into a relatively clear patch of grass and played a duel for them.

Finally they made it to a spot on a stone bridge stretching out across the green and murky lake on which they could sit down. Several mandarin ducks sulked beneath them until they, realizing that Juudai and Johan had no food to provide, paddled away quacking in a way that might have been indignant. Johan seemed to find this amusing, as amusemetn suffused his countenance until he was laughing.

Juudai, unable to find the humor in the situation, asked "What's up, Johan? The ducks crack a joke?"

"No, but they acted like children."

And perhaps there was a profound truth to be found in the leaving of the ducks. But Juudai did not really care to see it.

"Anyway, what time is it?"

Johan checked the display panel on his phone. "It's two ten. Oh hey, I've got a message."

"Really? From who?"

"Let me check." Johan stuck a finger into one ear and placed his phone against the other. While Juudai waited a group of bohemians walked passed, making music with copper tins and distributing leaflets. Juudai let the green leaflet handed to him float down and land in the lake, earning him a vague rebuking from his mind. He shrugged.

Johan began suddenly, "right. It's Tenjoin-kun. He is visiting his sister...and they both want to know if we would like to come to dinner at her apartment."

"Well, do we?"

"I think it would be nice to get a free dinner. And I haven't seen Tenjoin-kun or Asuka since your graduation."

"All right, we're going then," Juudai responded, not at all wondering why he was making a decision for Johan as well as himself. Johan returned the call and told Asuka's answering machine that yes, they would like to come over for dinner.

Johan and Juudai meandered a bit longer in the park, taking in entire stretches of path swathed in a ruby, ochre, orange, and yellow canopy. When they neared the exit from which they entered Johan was suddenly taken by a group of musicians performing a suspiciously unfamiliar song, prompting Juudai to think that they were making it up as they went. Nearby a man painted entirely with silver paint stood so still that Johan took him to be a statue until he winked at him and performed a flawless set of backflips. Delighted, Johan clapped his hands and tossed a five dollar bill into an upturned fedora sitting next to the man. Juudai smiled too, but ushered Johan along lest he spend all their pocket change on roadside amusements.

* * *

They arrived at the apartment building at quarter to six. The building's façade was red brick painted silver as revealed by the few patches of peeling paint. Johan suspected that the patches would be fixed soon, however, for as they walked into the parlor of the place he noted the maintained condition of the room. Cream colored marble veined with a profound black ran across the floor until it met with the lacquered panels that lined the walls. In the center of the room sat a mahogany table adorned with a glazed vase of lilacs and an enameled plaque reading _Columbian Coast Apartments_. They gave the family name of those they intended to visit to the doorman and he, yawning and muttering about his mortgage, directed them to the elevator a few meters away. Standing in silence, they listened to the clacking of the elevator cables as it ascended to the fourth floor.

When they stepped out they passed a harried looking woman who cradled a bemused child to her bosom. She stared after them until the doors closed.

Juudai knocked on Asuka's door. They did not have to wait long before they were enveloped by Fubuki's warm embrace. The older boy shouted greetings in Japanese as he pulled them into the apartment and led them to the living room, and Juudai just managed to kick off his shoes in accordance with the traditions impressed on him since well before he could tie his shoelaces.

Asuka closed the door after her brother and, shaking her head, joined them in the living room. The white carpet was soft between her toes.

"It's good to see you again, Asuka" Juudai managed from over Fubuki's shoulder. He grinned stupidly as Fubuki released him.

He failed, however, to perceive what Fubuki was going to next. The brunet, mustering his strength, slipped his hands under Johan's armpits, and lifted Johan off his feet. Fubuki held Johan, who squirmed despite his smile, suspended in the air.

"It's good to see you, the master of the Gem Beasts! Taking good care of our Juudai, I hope."

"I do my best, but Juudai is capable of taking care of himself, Tenjoin-kun."

Juudai looked at the scene, unable to decide if he was amused by Fubuki's act or terrified for Johan. Looking at Asuka and her reddening cheeks, he figured that Johan would be okay.

"Ah, so that is true. But you better beat his fangirls back lest they steal him away in the dead of the night!"

"Okay," Johan gasped, "I'll do my best."

"Please put him down, Fubuki" Asuka said between her hands.

"Of course," Fubuki caroled as he placed Johan on his own feet and patted his celadon head. "Good man, Johan."

"Eh heh, thanks, Tenjoin-kun."

Johan, unsure of his own gait, stumbled over to Juudai's side and smiled wanly at him while Asuka said, "If you two would sit down for a bit. Fubuki and I are almost done with dinner."

"Nah, we'll help you," Juudai offered. "Being dead weight isn't our thing."

Johan nodded his agreement as he stripped off his coat and laid it on one of Asuka's white couches.

Asuka was hesitant to consent to their help, but she gave in and asked them to set the table. Juudai was uncertain of what to do with the Western cutlery, but was helped by Johan who was at least proficient in these matters. Two minutes into setting up the table a silverware war broke out, the two of them stabbing at each other with forks while they set up spoons and knives.

Fubuki watched their fighting from the kitchen and laughed to himself. When Asuka passed him he muttered to her, "Isn't it amazing how Juudai answers for the two of them? Do you think there could be something more?

And Asuka looked hard at them—even squinted—but she could only see Johan goofing off with a Juudai who had reverted back to his old self in certain regards.

When dinner was finally served the atmosphere of the place grew somber. Johan bragged about his victory over Juudai and suggested that Fubuki and Asuka should join in their rematch, but soon he too was affected so that he glanced at everyone around the table before settling his gaze on the soup set before him, which had somehow managed to become interesting to him. It was Fubuki who kept the conversation going for he was Fubuki and that is what Fubuki does; he is the beating pulse of the party, even if it is clearly dead.

"Say, Tenjoin-kun, how is Fujiwara-kun?" Johan asked as salad was passed around. Fubuki looked to Johan and smiled slightly.

"Yuusuke is doing well these days, though he is not thrilled about having to finish three years of high school. Principal Sameshima cut him a deal, though, that if he could get through this year with perfect marks he would give him a diploma and overlook his disappearance."

"Eh, is he allowed to do that?" Johan asked, surprise apparent in his widened eyes that gleamed in the soft light pouring forth from the chandelier hanging above them.

"Well, yes and no. Duel Academia is a special institution and this is a very special case. He won't apply to a university, so there shouldn't be any problems."

"Ah, good. I wish the best for him and hope to see him in the Pro Leagues soon!"

"I will tell him that. And, speaking of Pro Leagues, how are the two of you doing?"

Johan looked to Juudai, who looked to him, and then the two of them looked to Fubuki.

"We're meeting our sponsors again tomorrow evening," Juudai answered.

"Ah, so you will be taking part in the International League next week?" Asuka interjected.

The two of them nodded. "Yeap. The main reason we're meeting our sponsors in New York," Juudai started. "They're actually a Japanese company in...um..."

"Hardware and software," Johan offered. "They build secondary duel disks—Kaiba Corporation the primary producer as they hold the patent—that one can plug into their computer via a USB port, and they publish programs to help beginning duelists."

"Yeah, that. I think that we're their spokesmen now, too."

"Or something like that," Johan finished.

"Duel Intuitions?" Asuka asked. "But why such a company? I'm sure that two of your could have done much better."

"Well, that's true, but they were really the only company that wanted to take us a pair," Johan offered. "And it's important that I exercise my darkness quickly."

Fubuki raised an eyebrow and Asuka sat quietly until she had mastered her confusion and asked, "Exercise your...darkness?"

"That he duels me as an equal duelist," Juudai added quickly. There was a silent exchanging of looks among them until Juudai continued with "So, Asuka, how's your teaching training going?"

"Very well, thank you. Right now I'm in New York to observe the tournaments and work with NADA—the North American Duel Association—to learn American duel standards and regulations."

"Good," Juudai said. Such was the manner of the rest of their conversation—Asuka staying on safe subjects and asking questions that only warranted monosyllabic answers—until Fubuki, noticing that Johan was nodding to sleep, stood up and stretched.

"There is dessert for you two, but no time to eat it. It's already eight thirty. Why don't you have Asuka pack it up and eat it when you get back to the hotel?"

"Mmm, that'd be fine. But it really isn't that late Fubu—" Juudai was interrupted by Fubuki's gesturing at Johan. Smiling to himself, Juudai said "all right. To the hotel it is," and tugged at Johan's sleeve.

Coming to himself, Johan perked his head up and watched as Fubuki moved to gather the dishes and silverware he had used. "No, I'll get them," he offered while stifling a yawn. "I'll wash the dishes, too."

"There's no need for that, Johan," Asuka said from across the table. "It's Fubuki's turn to do dish duty, so give him _all_ your plates. And if you want, you can go ahead and throw in some extra ones for the fun of it."

"My own blood is so cruel to me!" Fubuki cried in feigned lamentation as he collected Juudai's dishes. "Shun me if you must, then. But get these two set to go."

"All right." Asuka wandered into the kitchen and began wrapping up a cheesecake. Fubuki deposited the collected dishes in the sink and joined Juudai and Johan as they floated into the living room.

"You know, I think I'll go with you guys back to the hotel. With me around no one will dare attack you."

"Really? Why would they want to attack us?" Johan inquired as he shuddered to keep himself awake. In doing so he brought a chill to his body, which caused him to shiver.

Juudai, seeing Johan's discomfort, brought the European his scarf and jacket from their place on the couch.

"Thank you, Juudai."

"Of course. Now, shall we get a move on?"

"Hold a moment, Juudai. Wait until my dear sister brings the cake—oh, and here she is!"

"Hold your breath," Asuka sighed as she handed a stripped bundle over to Fubuki. "Juudai, you tell me if this numbskull bothers you, all right? I mean it, Fubuki. No. Messing. Around. And you come back as soon as you get them to their hotel." She glared at her brother, her legs planted firmly to their spot and her shoulders tense.

"Fine, fine. On my word as the Fubu-king these two will be delivered safely. And I'll be back soon after that."

"Right...Johan, Juudai. Good luck in the tournament and stay safe. Juudai..."

Fubuki, detecting a precious moment, ushered Johan into the hallway and out of earshot.

Juudai collected his jacket and looked at Asuka, waiting for her to continue.

"I'm glad that you're...doing so well with yourself and...Johan. Really I am. Thanks for coming. And if you ever need anything please, please don't hesitate to ask me. You have my cell phone number, right?"

Juudai nodded and grinned.

"Thanks, Asuka. I'll be seeing you around."

"Yeah. See you ... around." She watched him go and forget to close the door behind him. As she shut the door herself she wondered about Juudai and Johan, but mostly about Juudai. He was cheerful again for sure—an echo of his old self—but he had still seemed so very aloof.

Maybe, she thought, it had been for best that she stayed on her own course.

* * *

When they arrived at their floor Fubuki hugged Johan and Juudai with one arm in a dramatic scene of squeezing and clamping. He released Juudai and handed him Asuka's cake, but held onto Johan a bit longer. Overcome again by some bizarre feeling neither Juudai or Johan could comprehend, Fubuki pulled Johan from his feet and held him in the air. Fubuki's sinews did not bulge beneath his coat as Johan had expected them too.

"You take care now, Johan, of yourself and our Juudai. It's a very, very important task. And you, Juudai, take care of our Johan. Do you see how slender his limbs are?"

Juudai scowled.

"Really, Tenjoin-kun, I appreciate the sentiment, but would you please put me down?" Johan asked meekly.

"Of course," and he put Johan down once more. He winked and said with a wave of his hand, "Be good you two. And mind your curfew."

He was gone when the paneled elevator doors closed behind him a few seconds later. Silence slunk as unnoticed into the as a cat into the hallway as they walked to their neighboring rooms. Juudai proposed that they watch a movie, but Johan declined, barely making it to his room before he collapsed on his bed and napped for a few hours.

Meanwhile, Juudai was absorbed in his mind, conversing with Yubel and sharing the day with her. Towards the end of their talk she brought up Asuka and asked Juudai if he had noticed anything amiss with her. Juudai shrugged and moved on, for she had appeared both content and beautiful to him, and such was his manner.


	3. Reflection

All right, chapter three is finally posted. If you haven't already noticed, I tend to refer to Ruby and Hane Kuriboh as females. It's not a preference so much as a habit of mine. I'm truly sorry if it bugs anyone.

A world of thanks to** Heleentje** who looked over passages, gave precious feedback, and dealt with my insanity.

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own _Yu-Gi-Oh! DM GX.

* * *

Johan was sure that he had dreamed something very important, but upon waking the images, sounds, feelings, and people had evaporated. All that he was left with was a strange sense that he had visited some place he had known very well before.

He looked to the display panel of the clock positioned on the nightstand to his left. With two minutes left until six, he had managed to beat his alarm in waking. He took a note of his victory as something he might talk to Juudai about later. Ruby appeared on his chest and curled up. She eyed him patiently and flicked her tail. Johan regarded his duel spirit for a few moments as he woke, trying to form a cohesive thought.

"Hungry?" Johan asked with an awkward grin, still a bit drowsy. He reached over and silenced the alarm of the clock when it began its synthetic chirping.

_Ru—bi_, was the reply he earned.

Johan moved to sit up slowly, allowing Ruby time to jump from her spot. He stretched his arms above his head and yawned.

"Of course you're not hungry. Heh, just asking. Anyway, good morning, Ruby and"—Johan turned to face his deckbox set on the cherrywood table across the room—"my family." He then got out of bed and walked towards the washroom. "Today's a very important day, you know. Pretty soon there will be a lot of people who will look at you," Johan continued cheerfully as he passed by his deck on his way to the washroom. "I'm sure that, when the time comes, plenty of people will want autographs." When he saw himself in the mirror he laughed at the matted condition of his hair. Though his bangs were relatively untouched, the back portion of his hair was misshapen.

He gazed at his reflection and his reflection gazed back. Ruby jumped up on the sink counter and peered up at Johan. Then he laughed, and his reflection laughed too.

"Nothing gel hasn't ever fixed, eh, Ruby? I've got a feeling it's going to be a great day. Auspicious, too, and that's always good."

Ruby tilted her head and mewled.

"Exactly. It's the first step on the beginning of our bridge."

* * *

Juudai was not thrilled when his shrill alarm clock announced that the day was beginning whether he liked it or not. The offending device was promptly switched off by a swift hand. The same hand scratched the back of his head as Juudai sat up and yawned. Yubel appeared near his bed, smiling slightly as she observed Juudai wrestling with sleep.

"Such an ill-mannered thing. Perhaps from now one I should be the one to wake you." Running a finger over the alarm clock, she imagined what it must have felt like; stiff and radiating warmth from the tiny internal heart she imagined there to be beating, perhaps. She was knew of how circuits and currents worked (and was not at all unfamiliar with technology and its many potential uses), but favored the idea of a beating heart for reasons very dear to her.

"That'd be a great idea. Really." Juudai looked to Yubel and then added, "thanks."

"Of course. Anything you need, even if just getting rid of such a lowly annoyance. Now, do you need to sleep a bit longer, Juudai?"

He shook his head and then sighed. Pushing back the sheets and duvet, Juudai sat up and swung his legs over the side of the stacked mattresses. The carpeted floor was cold, but he did not mind it too much. When he finally stood up his eyes flitted about the room for a moment as he tried to remember where exactly he had placed his deck. Then, smiling, he turned around and reached under the pillow he had been using. It was a strange (and sometimes uncomfortable) place to keep his deckbox, but it kept his deck that much closer to him as he slept.

Juudai leafed through his cards, counted until he got to forty-two, and, when satisfied that all were safe and accounted for, walked across the room and placed it on the cherrywood table.

Hane Kuriboh materialized next to Yubel, who had silently followed Juudai and now sat on the top of one of the couches in the room, her legs crossed at her ankles. The two spirits shared a glance and then both looked to Juudai as he walked to his washroom. Hane Kuriboh turned and looked at Yubel again.

"It's a very big day today for him, you know."

Hane Kuriboh huffed, looking both indignant and crying _kuri_.

"No, I know you are also his partner. Be calm. Juudai will be more harried today than usual. That's all. I know that Juudai will pull through this and undoubtably get what he is looking for."

_Kuri Kuri_, Hane Kuriboh answered back.

"I'm glad to you think so," Juudai added as he walked back into the main part of the hotel room. He had a Q-tip sticking out of one ear and a white towel hung around his neck. "It's good to know you guys are always pulling for me."

"Did we offend you, Juudai? I'm sorry for talking behind your back."

"Oh, no. Don't worry about it. I just forgot to re-unpack my toiletries again."

"Ah, of course. They're...in your suitcase, correct?"

"Right," Juudai answered as he dug the elusive toiletry bag out of his suitcase. He was not usually one to be so conscious of where he kept everything, but since his last adventures—the sojourn into Dark World, the genocide and redemption of the world—he had paid extra attention to the condition of his traveling pack and made sure it was ready at a moment's notice, even if he was not too keen on the idea of another epic adventure. What he had lost and gained because of those situations had made him into who he was now and had also given him what he had now, but it was all really enough for him to be content without another day of action in his life. While living out the rest of his life in peace was a very attractive option, he knew that he could not for he was obliged, as a hero, to be a vagabond in the world, never truly settling down but moving constantly so that he might meet and touch all of those people that needed him. Also, he had to get funds somehow. Traveling was not cheap, after all.

Juudai returned to the washroom. Gazing at himself in the mirror, he took in the full effect of his misshaped spikes and crumpled white sleeping shirt. He did not look distressed however, as his eyes were still sharp as they always were despite any lingering drowsiness. Those eyes that had seen different dimensions and mad men almost succeeding in destroying the world had been gentle and cheerful once. Now, after having grown, they were alert and haughty, though still capable of holding a spark of warmth as he laughed, smiled, or duelled. (Though he would not admit that he did less of those hings than he used to. But situations and circumstances changed, so it was understandable.)

He then showered as Yubel and Hane Kuriboh talked more on matters that were reduced to a din against the determined spitting of the showerhead. When he was sure his skin couldn't take any more scalding, he shut off the water, stepped out of the shower, and reached for a towel. Upon reentering the main room he found Johan, clad in a blue vest, white shirt, and manila pants, sitting where Yubel had been, and watching Hane Kuriboh drag Ruby through the air as they struggled in a critical and decisive battle. Johan, immediately aware of Juudai's presence, smiled but made no move to get up.

"Morning, Juudai," Johan greeted.

"Morning. Where's Yubel?"

"She was out here just a moment ago. Said she was going to wait for you somewhere else."

"I'm right here," Yubel said as she appeared behind Juudai. "It's hard to think when the two of them are fighting like that."

"Oh, them? They're always scuffling," Johan offered. "Just a friendly war." He smiled warmly.

"Ah. So that's what it has all been for the past few months?"

While they talked Juudai moved about, figuring out what exactly to wear.

"Mmm. A war. This is just one of their battles. Right now it is a stalemate with a score of four to four. Most of the time battles end in draws," Johan said.

Yubel wondered how Johan was able to judge such a thing and why he was keeping score, but before she could ask anything Juudai joined them while buttoning his shirt.

"Anyway, I think that Hane Kuriboh will ultimately win," Juudai began.

"No way! Ruby's faster," Johan said.

"And Hane Kuriboh can fly. If she wanted to she could definitely just avoid Ruby altogether."

"Yeah, well Ruby could reach Hane Kuriboh anywhere with her speed!"

"Heh, whatever. I'll guess we'll just have to wait for the final outcome. Though my faith is in my duel spirit."

"Of course it is. She's yours." And at this they both laughed.

Yubel was a bit bemused at their display, though she had become use to such pseudo-arguments and quick agreements. It was strange, but she knew that this was how their relationship manifested. An inkling of jealousy may or may not have been kindled from time to time, but she also knew that she was the one fused with Juudai's soul, not to mention the one bound to him by an eternal promise. She had confidence that even Juudai's inevitable death would not be able to undo the work of Super Fusion. Though only time would be able to tell, ultimately.

"So, what're we going to do today? We have until five, right?" Johan began when Ruby and Hane Kuriboh had settled down. Juudai sat down next to him on the top of the couch.

"I figured that we could have breakfast."

"Yeah. Then what?"

"Lunch."

"Then what?"

"Dinner with them," Juudai said.

"What about the time between meals?"

"Just details. Hmm...What would you like them to be?" Juudai asked.

"Sightseeing would be nice. Oh, we could go to Central Park again. There's still a lot more that we have to see there."

"Was it the street performers? There are plenty of those on every corner, you know."

"No, not that. It's just...the nature there is soothing. Heh heh..." Johan trailed off, rubbing the nape of his neck and tittering.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm just a bit overwhelmed by the city. It's exciting for sure—and fun—but just a bit too much. Don't you feel it, too? It's harder to just exist here than other places. Just ask the spirits."

Juudai looked to Yubel who nodded slowly at him. He made a face as he looked to Hane Kuriboh and Ruby who also nodded.

"Ah, I had no idea. Are you all right, Johan? Really, I have no problem leaving," Juudai said.

Johan was a bit taken aback, but was soon flustered. He waved his hands, fingers spread apart, in his urgency. "No, no, no! I'm fine, really. We can go anywhere you want at anytime. I'll be fine as long as I get enough rest. Sorry for worrying you!"

"Relax, Johan. We can do whatever you want. If the city has such a detrimental effect on you, why don't we relax here today? We could duel until the evening."

"But then we wouldn't be taking advantage of the city. Really, I'm fine, Juudai."

"If you're sure. Right...Well, let's eat first and go from there."

Yubel looked on at them as they agreed on breakfast in the hotel. When they stood up she disappeared and entered Juudai's mind once again. She was a bit taken by Johan and Juudai's talk, still wondering what exactly had happened. In any case, she knew that Juudai would now be keeping an eye on Johan's stamina, and that he would probably worry at the first sign of tiredness. But tiredness of the soul was something much more subtle than physical tiredness. She knew this well, for her soul had been tired not too long ago. Even if fused with Juudai, she had her own identity as his protector and still had her perpetual mission to perform. By resting for some time she had had time to think about a great deal of things and come to many conclusions. She was Juudai's protector, she was part of him—two indelible truths in which she could be confident.

But there was many things with which she struggled. Paramount was a certain teenaged boy who had managed—by forces greater than himself—to become entwined with the two of them to the point where the bonds could not longer be torn. Still, she wondered what exactly it was that made the relationship between the two of them so steadfast and deep despite its youth. She knew that love manifested in many forms and many ways, but that, if it was truly love, could be summed up as an intense and deep affection coupled with an overwhelming desire to do anything to help them. She had given up herself for Juudai. Johan had given up himself for Juudai. Love surely protects, she thought. For those that one truly loves they will give up so much, too much even. And so she struggled with what to do about Johan who was, beyond any doubt, bonded with Juudai and as much of a threat as a pleasure because of it.

* * *

By noon they had reached Central Park. Johan knew that Juudai had led them there intentionally, even if he denied it over and over, insisting that they really had just wondered this way with the crowd. And Johan knew how the crowd was, didn't he? There was no fighting a mass of people, for when the mass converged individual will was lost to the grand and vague will of the entire collection. For masses cannot be easily directed, can they? Are they not treated as one joint being, poked and prodded and directed with violence and shouted threats?

Currently, Juudai held his head high so that cheer undulated from his being. Ruby and Hane Kuriboh followed after them, taking in sights as they took sporadic swings at one another. Johan readjusted the shopping bag hanging from his wrist, allowing for it to slid into his palm so that he could carry it without it digging deeper into the skin of his wrist.

"So I really did beat a god once, and then helped it get justice," Juudai said as they walked.

"It must have been amazing to be able to see a god card up close."

"You bet! Though it was terrifying, it's an experience that I doubt I'll ever forget."

"Mmm. One day I hope that I might be able to help a duel spirit in such a distress that Ra was. To be abused by a man blinded by lust for power must be terrible. For any card to be used in such a way...Sometimes I wonder if people don't at all think about what they are doing to their cards."

They came upon a bridge with gilded sides. Juudai stopped for a moment to stare out at the water turned grey with the reflection of the clouds lazing above. Then he said, "Perhaps some people really don't think about their cards like that. Even after the examples of the legends, such things become secondary to them."

"The Pro Leagues are like that, aren't they? The most of them have forgotten their card are more than just the tools and foundation of their fame."

"Well, Edo and Manjoume aren't like that. But they are only two people."

"Isn't Edo dropping from our circuit soon?" Johan asked. "I remember reading about it somewhere."

"Something like that. I think he's going to join Shou and Ryo soon."

"In building their new circuit?"

"Right. They said that this time there would be no corruption," Juudai said.

"We should help them sometime. Maybe join with them? But in any case, I worry for them."

"You worrying?" Juudai asked. Puzzled, he cocked his head to the side. "What's up?"

"Well...Just people. Sooner or later someone with an evil heart will come in. I just hope that they will be prepared to deal with that."

"Mmm. Human nature. Though this is a bit cynical coming from you," Juudai observed.

Johan smiled wanly. "Yeah, but it's the truth. I don't want to lose the truth, even if it means a prettier picture."

"Of course." Juudai leaned over the railing of the bridge and stared at his reflection. The stirring wind agitated both his hair and the surface of the water, moving his bangs and sending ripples through his reflection. He closed his eyes for a moment. Feeling a warmth move against his shoulder, he opened his eyes and peered at his reflected self, which had been joined by a grinning double of Johan.

"But," Johan began quietly to Juudai, "I think that we still need to hope for them. Rationale is vital, but so is happiness."

"And as their friends we will support them, even if they do find no success. Heh, of course."

"Right...Support their joy...and worry for their well being," Johan said, becoming progressively quieter as he spoke.

Juudai was aware that while Johan spoke he was leaning more and more into him. Finally, Johan's head slumped against Juudai's shoulder, his eyes closed but his lips still touched with a content smile. Juudai wondered if Johan had indeed fallen asleep.

A calm descended upon them despite the passersby. Yubel, taking Johan's words for what they worth, pondered a bit on her duties. She had no problems with Johan being there. Juudai was as content with his presence as he was without, however, so she did wonder if Johan was really needed. And, she wondered, what would Juudai do if something befell Johan...? Was her promised duty now to also protect him to support Juudai's joy?

She took it upon herself to manifest and glare at the people staring at _her_ Juudai as they walked passed. While they could not see her or be directly affected by her, she could radiate such venom as to instill in them an urge to hurry away. Afterwards they would be left with a vague sense of alarm, wondering why they had felt so compelled to hurry along lest something terrible befall them. And so she protected her Juudai as he stood side by side to Johan, the two of them leaning over the bridge and appearing to be huddled together.

Perhaps Johan had dozed for a few moments (though the whole act was in truth nothing more than a pretense to get close), but a few minutes later he opened his eyes and looked up at Juudai. Met with nothing but a smile, he apologized and straightened his back. "Juudai, would you like to talk about it?" was all he asked.

Juudai nodded languidly. Frowning, he peered at their reflections below and then back at Johan. "There's a lot to talk about...but hardly any words left."

"Mmm." Johan nodded, understanding that Juudai was indeed moving on, that he had probably done so when he was not paying attention to him. The thing about Juudai was that if you took your eyes off him for too long these days he might just be gone forever. Johan nodded again, this time more to himself if for any reason. Juudai was moving on for sure, but Johan was confident that Juudai had not left behind any of the important lessons that had converged to complete the being that he was now.

Gently, Johan touched the crook of Juudai's arm. "It's all right, then. I'm just glad."

Juudai looked into Johan's eyes, and Johan looked back. Each inspected the other, looking for traces of what they hoped to find. After a moment Juudai smiled, perhaps finding what he had been searching for.

"Thank you, Johan."

"You're welcome, Juudai."

As such, there were many things spoken between them. Juudai had elaborated about Haou and how the time spent as him had both scared and grown him. There were stories about murdered duelists recounted that would have never been otherwise. The birth of Super Fusion was shared again, reminding them of what it had cost to save Johan and bind Yubel and Juudai together. Wounds that had long since healed were reexamined thoroughly without being reopened.

And all of this had been said more in silence than anything else, really.

When the two of them began walking again Yubel disappeared. They walked past a great number of people and things and over an amount of kilometres large for just one afternoon. Juudai offered to carry Johan's shopping bag a few times but was refused over and over. He also stopped on a couple of occasions to allow Johan to rest, hoping that it was not obvious that he was acting out of concern, but knowing that Johan could see right through him. He did not really mind, however, as he preferred to be so to transparent that he was never truly hidden from those who knew him.

As they continued on and finally doubled around their path, Juudai pestered by a feeling he was not overly familiar with. Perhaps none of this really was for the best. Being in a foreign city, joining the Pro Leagues, leaving Pharaoh with his parents; none of it seemed wise or beneficial. He thought there were probably other places to be, other people to see, and other lessons to be learned. And as for Johan...The two of them were similar for sure, and got along as well as two people ever had. The European had had no problems with dropping his life and coming to be with Juudai after he had gotten back from his period of wandering in the dessert. But he also knew that when Johan was around a pleasant something hummed in his mind at even the worst of times. It was comforting, even kept him from the gaping silence he had often found himself on the threshold of in recent months.

Johan stopped suddenly in his place, cast his head up, and admired the vibrant colors of the autumn leaves. Suprised, Juudai stopped too and looked around him. Several people looked strangely at Johan, but none stayed interested for long.

"Did you know that a rainbow is a symbol of promise?" Johan asked perfunctorily, dragging Juudai's attention onto him.

"No. Well, maybe...In one of those religious flood myths, right...?"

"Mmhm. It was part of a covenant that a world-devastating flood would never befall the human race again. A promise...I wonder what promise the Gem Beasts are a symbol of, then."

"A promise? What...No, they are for Roman prosperity, right?"

"Maybe. Or maybe something...more. But anyway, it was just a thought," Johan said lightly. He concluded with a sheepish smile and stuck out his tongue.

But Juudai had been moved. "Say, Johan, when we first met...we both felt that strange and vague feeling of having known someone before, right? And how did you know about..."

"How'd I know about what, Juudai?"

"Never mind. We should probably get back."

Johan nodded and began walking. His face was bright with an earnest smile and cheerful, lucid eyes. "Right! To prepare for our future, no matter what may come."

Juudai followed quickly, aware of Yubel asking him if he was all right. He replied that he was a bit shaken and that, really, he would be all right soon.

* * *

Juudai sat wedged between Johan and a man he hardly knew, contemplating the gravity of the situation at hand. In his hands sat a contract asking for him to sign away the rights to his life for the next two years. He figured that to think to see far into the future was ludicrous; tomorrow seemed like a far-off reality.

He knew that Johan was looking at him, waiting to see what his decision was going to be. But he did not know. He did not want to know. Nor did he want to make this decision.

So he got up, made his way through the glittering and opulent crowd, and found his over-tanned sponsor. He made a few demands, a few statements, and a few stupid comments. He, most importantly, made his feelings known. As he turned away he saw one man turn to another and place the back of his hand to side of his lips. Juudai did not hear either men say anything.

He then found Johan and let him know that they would not being signing contracts until after the tournament.

Johan simply agreed, thinking it a much more wiser course than signing away his life at such a noisy and discordant place.

And so they left the noisy party before Johan collapsed from a pounding headache that descended upon him as if a suddenly toppled stone wall. Juudai was careful with Johan as he flagged down a taxi and dragged both Johan and himself in.

They made it to the hotel alive, then safely to their beds in a foreign country.

Yubel was not sure how she felt about any of it.


	4. Sterile

The duel is here, yes? I wanted this chapter to be a lot longer, but it ended up being so short (originally intended to be nine thousand sooo...). So yeah...Anyway, thanks for all of those that have read up until now and please enjoy this chapter!

Special thanks to **Heleentje** who read over the draft and pointed out mistakes and things that needed work.

**Disclaimer:** _O RLY? Don't own anything here._

* * *

The next morning Johan was far too tired to so much as twitch, but he pushed himself out of bed anyway. If they were here, they were going to make the best of it, and of that he was sure. No way was he going to bethe reason for any setbacks. So Johan persevered and pulled himself through his morning rituals. He was just emerging from his bathroom when Juudai entered his room and approached him, looking him directly in the eye. Johan smiled at Juudai, but there was no humor to be exchanged.

"You're exhausted. Go lie down," Juudai said evenly.

"No, I'm fine, Juudai. Let's go," Johan said as he made a move towards the door.

Juudai did not move, only continued staring at Johan. "No, you're not. You need to rest."

Johan titled his head sideways like a berated child. "Juudai, I'm fine. Come on, let's get breakfast."

"You're not fine."

"No, really, I am!"

"How much longer do you plan on lying to me?"

"Ahh, Juudai...I...No, I don't mean it as a lie," Johan replied, his voice slightly wavering. He gazed meaningfully at Juudai. "Really, I did not mean to...Thank you for your concern..."

"Then go lie down. I'll bring you something later," Juudai said as he made his way to the door. He did not look back as he exited.

"Right...See ya." There was a moment of silence in the room, Johan only looking at the closed door. Then he wandered over to his bed and considered lying down. It was not as though he was upset with Juudai, but rather concerned and a bit peeved at himself. He wondered how he could have better dissuaded Juudai without lying to him. But because it had been one of those situations, he ended up with nothing more than a throbbing head. No matter what he had done the outcome would be unfavourable for him.

Dispirited, Johan crawled underneath the covers and curled up without bothering to change his clothes. He allowed his eyes to drift about the room, taking in the couches and various decorations on the wall. A particular painting caught his attention. Against a chaotic scene of people rushing, an older man and a young woman stood together, tranquil and their hands clasped in prayer, both detached from the discord around them. Johan considered the painting a bit longer, crossing his arms over his chest beneath the covers, taking in as many details as he could. He noted that the man had a white beard of a considerable length, a common symptom of Renaissance anthropomorphism. When he was sure that he could recall every detail of the oil painting, Johan closed his eyes and rested his head back in the pillows. Afterimages danced in the darkness. One blob of light shaped like Ruby darted across the private stage of his eyelids.

He then opened his eyes slightly and observed the textured ceiling. After staring for long enough, he began to see patterns in the blotches. He tried counting them, but ended up losing his place some time after twenty-seven. All of these idle activities brought him to the edge of sleep, so he closed his eyes and yawned.

Juudai would be coming back soon, he thought. Maybe thirty minutes at the most, and that would be enough time for him to rest...So he drifted...

--

Juudai had been accosted by the child the moment he stepped out of the elevator. The boy had nearly blind-sided him in his enthusiasm of encountering such a legendary duellist. When Juudai regained his balance the boy gave a flourish to his black bangs and flashed a gapped grin.

"Juudai Yuuki! May I get your autograph? Please?" broached the boy. Despite his shyness his tone brimmed with excitement.

Juudai smiled at the boy, but looked stupidly at him for a moment. With a great effort Juudai opened his mouth and then closed it, looking like a fish taken out of water and left to die on a table. "Do you have paper and pen?" Juudai asked, his best effort resulting in a sentence he knew was broken somehow, spoken English not being his forte.

"Mmm, right here!" the boy offered up a notepad and pen he had stolen from his hotel room to doodle with during breakfast.

While Juudai struggled with scribbling the unfamiliar letters of the English alphabet, he glanced up continuously to see the boy grinning so very earnestly at him. Admiration and childish glee shone in his expressive and watery eyes.

"Mr.Yuuki, how do I become a better duellist?" the boy asked as he reached out to retrieve his autograph, which he held to his chest when he received it.

The brunet took a few moments to think. "You do that by not much doubting your cards or self." Juudai touched his left breast. "Love your cards very much," Juudai concluded, nodding.

"Love my cards?"

"Yes. They love you back."

"All right." The boy nodded and then looked over his shoulder and down the white hallway. "Haha, I'm actually suppose to be going to the bathroom! Thanks! I'll be watching all your duels!

Yubel appeared near Juudai, and they both watched the retreating boy until he rounded a corner and disappeared from their sight.. "You have connected another soul with the spirits," Yubel observed. "Even if he never will see them."

Juudai shrugged. "Maybe. I was just doing what needed to be done." He turned on his heel and began heading towards the lobby.

Yubel could not help but smile at her Juudai's brilliance. "Of course. It comes natural for the prince."

Juudai just shrugged.

--

...And then there were people in the darkness. Words were exchanged in a language he did not know, and which he doubted was spoken in the modern world, but he knew that they were talking. Some time passed, and the people became more defined, though they were not moving, but instead looked like a surreal still life. He could make out two children and one man. They spoke again, though this time in a tongue he knew.

Full was all that he felt. Content could have been another word, but he knew that he was whole. He knew it was strange, but in feeling full he felt...simple; he knew that, beyond a doubt, he was simply loved.

Johan awoke with a slight start. He sat up rubbing his eyes and, when the world resolved, looked around the room with a vague sense of vertigo. To his left sat a covered plate from which effused the noisome stench of aging Western breakfast. Wondering how long he had slept, he looked to the clock to see that it was currently ten a.m., though it did not feel that early at all. Still, he had slept for nearly three hours, sleeping through Juudai dropping off breakfast and probably sitting around while waiting for him to wake up.

The wafting smell of the food knocked him out of thoughts and forced him to turn his attention to it for, unattended, the meal would surely stink up the whole room. As he ate, Johan ruminated over the tournament. Surely people he knew would be there: old friends, enemies, and classmates. Perhaps people from North School would be there too, which would lead to some interesting, if not tense, encounters. Though he had not had too many friends at North School, the whole of the student body had begun to revere and cherish him as their personal messiah for his Gem Beasts. Before finding them he had just been another student following beneath Yuri Edogawa, though he had been more content than the others, for he preferred the hierarchy of power to resolve itself without him having to get involved. Johan was indeed simple in that aspect: one who could get along regardless of what government reigned over him, but would step up if the situation needed him to.

Thinking of North School brought a familiar uneasiness to his chest. He had an urgent need to set something in motion, or to just be in motion himself. For a quick release, he patted the duvet of his bed. Ruby appeared on his shoulder, looked at him for a moment, and then ran down his arm. She sat down on his hand and peered up at Johan, her pupiless eyes alive with a stray dapple from the window.

"I'm fine, Ruby," Johan said with the faint lilt of one who has just woken up from a very deep sleep, despite his mind being plenty active. "Just a bit tired."

"_Ruuu._"

"I'm not sure what I'll do today...I want to go out, but we'll have to see what Juudai wants, and where he is." Johan looked towards his cell phone, which lay charging on the cherrywood table besides his deck. "I'll wait for him to call...Or if it gets too late—because he probably thinks I'm still sleeping—I'll call him." His poignant sloth stung him when he recounted it, so that he twitched slightly. "I'm sorry for making you worry, Ruby. I ought to be more careful so I don't keep burdening everyone like this."

Ruby crooked her head. "_Ruuubi-ru._"

"Right...Take better care of myself, in a way," Johan crooned.

Ruby looked briefly at Johan before running back up his arm and resettling herself on his shoulder. Pushing herself up against his cheek, she mewled her response.

Johan smiled to himself. Family was such a beautiful thing, he thought, with all the cocooning layers of affection and deeply-rooted nuances. A family—_his_ family—would always care, no matter what, so he had to definitely be more careful in the future, and by being careful both his family and himself benefited. Worry was its own exquisite form of affection, no matter how negative and grating.

When he had his fill he gathered the plate and cutlery and moved across the room. He set them down outside in the hallway near his door, careful that they were not placed in the way of anyone walking by or the closing door. Johan returned to his bed and snuggled beneath the sheets. Shrouded in cool linen, Johan closed his eyes and smiled, once again forgetting about still being clad in his day clothes. Warmth soon spread around him, enveloping him. He sighed, and then thought about things until his mind found a silent and still rut.

Time passed.

Johan was awoken by distant chattering. Sitting up slowly, he was overwhelmed by a rolling nausea and a heavy headache. His crumpled shirt clung to his skin, and a film of moisture was present beneath his clothes. Lazily, he noted that the television had been turned on and was being watched by Juudai, who had pulled up a chair next to his bed. Juudai, however, had fallen asleep; his head was inclined and his chin rested on his chest. His hands were lain in his lap.

With a quick sideways glance at the clock, Johan pulled himself out of bed and walked the short distance over to Juudai. His muscles protested at the movement, but carried him anyway. He watched Juudai sleeping for a moment, smiling.

"Thanks a lot, Juudai. Sorry for sleeping all day," he murmured, a heavy hazy lingering in his mind as he shuffled back to his bed. Johan sat down and stared absently at Juudai. Eventually his mind settled enough so he was able to form a coherent thought, but he felt sleep begin to beckon him back. Standing up, he figured that he may as well go back to sleep, but after he showered and changed out of his day clothing.

By the time he had prepared himself for bed his drowsiness had cleared and left him feeling renewed, if not a bit tired.

Johan returned and sat on the edge of his bed, pulling at his damp hair, teasing it upwards lazily in an effort to preserve some of the spikes. He saved his bangs, but the back portion of his hair hung limp around his neck, momentarily tickling him at any movement of his head.. As he played with his back tresses, Yubel materialised, leaning over the back of Juudai's chair, touching his cheek gently with her hand. He watched her for a while. Then, reasoning that she was not going to start a conversation, smiled invariably and said, "good evening, Yubel."

She stood and up and cast him a spectacularly stern look, which made Johan flinch slightly. Easing up, she turned her body towards him and sat on the back of Juudai's chair.

"Johan," she said mildly.

"Mmm. It's good to see you out," Johan replied.

"It's good to be out." She considered him for a bit. "It's nothing personal, but I hope you know what it means."

Johan was not at all thrown by the sudden shift topic, instead nodded his understanding. "I do."

"It's my duty to protect Juudai. By entering this tournament you have become his enemy. Regardless of what happens, I must be true to my promise."

Johan reclined his head, his smile dazzling. "And I can't blame you at all for that. Promises are such beautiful, precious things. I could never hold it against you, Yubel."

She paused a secret moment to marvel. "Good. We have an understanding."

"Right. No mercy. I've got my own desires, though they are much more selfish." Johan straightened his head, though still smiled. "I'm glad that you'll protect Juudai from me and the world."

"Mmm."

Here Johan smiled at her amiably before stretching his hands up and falling dramatically backwards on the bed. He made no sound, until he began quietly snoring, which was more of a nasally breathing than anything.

Yubel was still a bit unnerved by the boy, though she was experiencing a mounting respect that was just a bit uncomfortable. For him she had a certain regard that could not be placed well with words. He was something else with his replies and serenity, almost inhuman, for she doubted that a mere mortal could hold so much peace—because peace really was a measurable thing with him—in his soul. To say that he was reminiscent of Juudai was indeed an understatement, but he held a profound satisfaction with the world that was all his own. She wondered if perhaps she had felt like that too once, able to know for sure that the world was grand and wonderful, and so easily accept others and let go of their faults. Maybe, once, in her years with Haou. Also, to be so free of grudges truly would have helped her back then, maybe even changed the fate of many people.

--

The next day passed unremarkably, with only one more meeting with their sponsors and managers, which only Juudai attended. Johan spent those particular hours roaming around the various shops of Time Square, and even stopped to have a salad and Dasani water from the infamous McDonalds with the luxuriantly lighted entrance that resembled an Elvis suit studded with thousands of electric sequins. As he walked, several of his Gem Beasts materialised and kept pace with him. They took in the sights as well, and were more bothered by the people passing through them than the urban cacophony that left a terrible ringing in Johan's ears that remained when he returned to his hotel. Juudai met up with him later that evening and had nothing to say about the meeting save that the first duel of the tournament would involve them. Johan needed to hear no more, and only nodded his understanding while Juudai rambled about card strategies.

On the following day they watched a movie about an American comic book hero who ran so fast he ended up going faster than light, effectively expelling himself from the time stream so that he was stuck drifting between two dimensions known as the past and the future. Juudai was perceivably disturbed by this. Johan was tactful, not bothering to point out what was so painfully obvious. After the movie Johan flicked Skittles across his table as Juudai worked on his deck. They had lunch brought up by room service, watched several more hero movies, and skipped dinner.

The rest of the day passed in a busy blur; each day had had its own adventure and lessons and wonders, but Johan found that it all became a noisy mess. He was upset that he had not been able to remember all of it, but consoled himself with the fact that the time had not been wasted for it had been spent with Juudai, no matter how lost he got in the lingering language barrier.

The eve of the tournament had both Johan and Juudai unsettled and anxious and each showed it in his own way. Juudai was more pensive that usual, taking spans of ten to twenty minutes to work on his deck without saying anything to either Yubel or Johan. Johan had his tacit spans, spending more time gazing around the room at various paintings than on his deck. A few times he peered out of the window. It was he who finally suggested they go out for dinner, preferably somewhere near Rockefeller plaza. So they left, wandered, ate, and returned to Johan's room around eleven, where they watched a horribly cheesy horror movie until Juudai dozed off.

Johan sat Indian-style on the floor while Juudai sat in a cushioned chair pulled up beside him. He leaned against a leg of the chair and sighed noisily, only daring to a chance to expel his stress when he was certain Juudai could not hear him. Between the throbbing in his head and the throbbing in his feet he was at a loss as to what hurt more at the moment, but was sure which one would still be aching in the morning.

Then a presence to his right caught his divided attention. Johan tilted his head sideways without lifting it to see Gem Beast Amethyst Cat and Ruby lying next to him. They looked at him like they were expecting him to say something, but did not react when he remained silent. He closed his eyes and blocked out the din of the television. Calm rose around him, only to be disturbed by a third presence he felt materialise and loom above him. With one eye open and head reclined, Johan peered absently at Yubel. He offered a stupid smile before yawning.

"Tomorrow," she said simply.

"Family versus guardian," Johan said. He closed his eyes and smiled more. "Love versus love—bond versus bond."

Yubel considered the sleeping boy, ignoring the stares of Amethyst Cat and Ruby, taking in the familiar peace as displayed by the smoothness of his brow and the faint lines etched around his mouth. If she had not known better she would have believed his relaxed countenance to reflect his true state of mind. She was sure he was troubled, if even only slightly, and that he did not mean to hide his worry—he was just that type of person, that type who holds their problems like distant dreams.

"I'm ready, you know," Johan breathed. "To face you— to fight you."

She wondered if it was at all strange to face off against to an entity that had once sealed away his soul and possessed his body. Coming up with a grim answer, she dismissed the topic.

"You have accepted my duty--my promise--for what it is. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Johan said. He wanted to say more, but found the prospect of sleep too inviting, so he departed.

Yubel accepted his silence for what it was, not taking any offense. Instead she leaned against Juudai's chair, stroking his hair and waited as the hours passed.

--

The atrium of the stadium left Johan with an acute dizziness as he tried craning his neck in an attempt take in all the details of the room. The ceiling was some thirty metres up and decorated with nothing but glimmering lights. Five walls painted grey and hung with scores of painting blended easily with the stamped concrete floor. Large windows opened up on an indoor, pseudo-modern zen garden, shot with paths of stepping stones and concrete walkways, both lined with bamboo and trimmed, lush ferns that could be anywhere from five to fifty years old.

Gem Beasts Sapphire Pegasus and Topaz Tiger took the opportunity to materialise in a place where there would be no awkward spatial situations. They settled beside Johan, not minding if anyone passed through them, and observed the courtyard with him. Johan passed the time by playing with the ferns and gravel, trying to count the leaves and make out patterns and shapes. Though he said nothing to Sapphire Pegasus or Topaz Tiger, they knew he was not ignoring them. Finally, he broke his attention from the garden and regarded the empty air to his left.

"It's kind of pretty, isn't it?" he asked.

Several people passed by and through his duel spirits. Not even one bothered to acknowledge the blue-haired ghost who appeared to be talking to himself.

"There are only a few like it back in Europe. It's too cold and mechanical to be pretty," observed Sapphire Pegasus.

Johan looked closely at the dangling bamboo branches which should have been swaying peacefully in the wind, but hung dead in the closed-off environment. Aside from the green of the ferns and bamboo, which contrasted violently against their surroundings, there was only black, white, and grey, like a snapshot tinted with greyscale. He was no gardener, but he figured that the plants forced to dwell in such a world—to be robbed of even the simple splendour of the sun—must have had a profound melancholy.

"Do you think you will be ready?" asked Topaz Tiger.

Johan looked away from the window and ran a hand over the deck holster secured to his belt.

"Yeah. This darkness festering my soul makes it hard not to be." Johan brought a hand to rest on his left breast. "If it wells any longer I may have to drop Duel Monsters and find another outlet for this darkness," Johan breathed, hoping the dark jest would lighten the mood. The duel spirits thought nothing of it.

The next moment Juudai approached with their managers in tow. He looked slightly peeved, but held his countenance as neutral as he could. They talked about a few special arrangements that had been made and what exactly they meant. Johan translated for Juudai when the managers spoke to one another in English. When they noted his fluency in both Japanese and English as better than they had acknowledged, they ceased their conversation and glared at Johan so quickly that he was not sure if their plastered smiles really had twisted.

"So we have talked with the group and have gotten you this opportunity—to be the opening match of the tournament, the first duel, almost immediately after the opening ceremony. This is great publicity, and should take care of and difficulties in the later rounds."

"Later rounds?" Juudai asked.

"It's hard to say what would be more epic—have more pizazz—to have a blazing showdown to open up for the other duels and be a sparkling memory that keeps their attention divided, or to have it towards the end when the crowds are already bordering on feral."

Johan tilted his head. "But isn't the match-up process random?"

One of the two managers simpered. "There are many random selections, yes."

Juudai stepped forward and Yubel materialised behind him, glaring at the men who would never be able to see her. "This is normal?" he asked flatly.

"As much as the Pope is Catholic," offered one of them while tittering. "Or as normal as your relationship--but that doesn't matter. You were pulled out of the pool of candidates for this particular and rare angle, as you know, so keep doing what you do."

"Yes, just do as you do. Resolve this one duel--put on a grand show, as we are sure you will--and the contract is yours," said the other manager, as if he they had figured on holding the contract above their head would motivate them, that they somehow regretted the decision to make just a bit longer before signing away their respective life. Here they both left, only calling back to Johan and Juudai to both meet them again in the competitors' lobby before the duel.

A silence tried to settle, but Johan quickly brushed aside its efforts. "Our relationship?"

"Friends make intense rivals," Juudai offered, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm that Johan took for granted.

"Mmm. You're my rival, then."

Yubel looked curiously at Johan, waiting to see what he would say next; she reminded herself to not hold her breath.

"We're enemies, then. Take this!" Johan balled a fist and reached out for Juudai's arm, stopping only a millimetre away. "Pow!" And, finally, he smiled sheepishly.

Juudai glanced at the fist hovering near his arm and then at Johan's, vaguely aware of the smell of clean human, the smell he had come to associate with him."Enemies at last."

"It's a promise, then?"

"Right. A promise to give my best in this duel," Juudai confirmed.

"As for me, I promise to be the best challenge I can be."

--

An evocative grin had spread across Fubuki's face while he read the glossy pamphlet handed to him by a wandering member of security. He and Asuka sat in a secluded area reserved for affluent people of interest three rows up from the stage's periphery. Around them seats had been filled up with restless crowds that carried a rumbling tenor with them. Asuka was currently pacing around the carpeted box, listening to someone admonishing her from their line of the call, with deeply furrowed brows, saying an occasional "_hai_" to let the other party know that she was still on the line.

"Come check this out," he said.

She waved her free hand vehemently at him and mouthed for him to be quiet until she was done.

Fubuki dog-eared the page and continued reading. Ten minutes later Asuka collapsed into the seat next to his and shut her eyes while mumbling, not minding when her phone slipped from her lap to the floor.

"The school?" Fubuki asked, guessing at the cause of her distress.

"Yes—well, no. They don't need me to observe duels today."

"Oh, do we have to leave?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem?"

Asuka opened one eye and looked directly into her brother's eyes. "I don't appreciate their last-minute flippancy."

"How dare they ditch my sister! We'll get them back somehow."

"I'd rather not, Fubuki. I don't need to be fired because of your antics."

"Fine," Fubuki whined, affecting hurt. After a dramatically deft flip of his hair he picked up his pamphlet and rolled it up. He failed to suppress his contagious grin. "Just let me know if you need anything."

"I will." Asuka smiled, even if the only thing she really needed from her brother was his company and his keeping out of her problems. She appreciated his heartfelt involvement, but she had to deal with her own issues now. At the very least he would respect that, even if he needed to be told off (and sometimes multiple times at that). This time with him now she regarded as precious for her brother, known to have roots anchored no where, was liable to up one day and leave her to join Ryo and Shou. Being associated with this league was admittedly not her favorite choice, but it had been her only option provided by this time in her career to gain experience she needed in foreign duel strategy. All of this was for her future students, she told herself, but was unable to find as much comfort in this thought as she would have liked.

Despite herself Asuka looked wistfully at Fubuki for a moment; no matter how crazy he was, he was her brother through and through.

Slapping the list of the day's duels against his knee, Fubuki sighed nosily. "There's a lot of action promised in these pages—let's see it already!"

"Who's in the first duel?" Asuka asked absently. She was aware of Fubuki regarding her strangely. "What?"

"You don't know?

"No, I don't. Just tell me."

"It's Juudai."

"Really? Against who?"

"Johan," Fubuki replied simply.

Asuka sat up in her seat, her back perfectly parallel with the back of the mauve cushioned chair. Her face was perfectly neutral while an unfocused wonder stilled her thoughts.

"Wow, what're the chances of that?"

Her eyes darted from her brother's face to the dias of the stage where the obnoxious master of ceremony stood yelling lines of encouragement, prompting the crowd to break into a renewed frenzy of yelling and bellowing and chaos.

"Who can say?" asked Fubuki rhetorically. Then he added, as though an afterthought, " I think I have a pretty good idea of who to ask."

--

It was not the deafening ululations of the crowds that shattered his concentration as much as the overwhelming mixture of elation and anxiety that crawled in his skin as he and Juudai (followed closely by Yubel) approached the centre of the duel field. They met in the middle and shook hands before exchanging decks so that each could shuffle his opponent's deck. Johan's hand grazed Juudai's as he accepted his deck back and turned to approach his end of the field. When he reached his spot and turned around once more, he and Juudai were enemies.

The explosion of sound that followed their simultaneous cry of "Duel" was enough to make Johan jump. He easily drew his five cards, fanning them out between thumb and pointer finger.

"My turn!" he announced in flawless English. A commentator made a quip as he drew his first card and added it to his hand. "C'mon!" he said as he summoned Gem Beast Mammoth, instantaneously having a living hologram of the large beast emerge from a chunk of amber on his side of the field. The mammoth looked back at Johan and said something that was swallowed up by noise before it reached the crowd. Johan smiled encouragingly and said something too. He set up one card and looked at Juudai. "My turn is over."

"My turn!" Juudai announced, his words dressed heavily in his thick accent. He drew his card with his characteristic flourish and added it to his hand. Yubel looked over his shoulder, reading his cards and formulating possible moves. Without a word to her Juudai picked one card from the six in his hand and slipped it into a slot in his duel disk. "I play magic card Angel's Charity! I draw three cards, then discard two." Juudai drew and then discarded E-Hero Neos and Contact Out. He immediately followed by playing another card, announcing, "I play magic card O - Over Soul to bring back E-Hero Neos!"

On Juudai's field materialised a rather tall humanoid. Its body was silver and stripped vertically with red on both of its sides.

"Next I summon N-Groun Mole!" A mole-like monster appeared beside Neos. "Neos, N-Groun Mole, contact fusion!" Juudai announced as the holograms of his monsters condensed into two balls of white light before shooting back into his deck. In their place appeared a humanoid, reminiscent of extraterrestrial life, with a drill as a substitute for one hand. "E-Hero Grand Neos! Activate effect!" Juudai pointed a finger at Johan's towering beast. "Return Amber Mammoth to Johan's hand!"

The mammoth shrunk in a flash of light and sped back to Johan's hand. Johan scowled.

"Finally, I play the field magic Neo Space!" As soon as Juudai had placed the card in a special slot at the end of his duel disk and said slot had snapped shut, their surroundings began to writhe and pulse in a phantasmagoric array of color.

"Reverse card open!" Johan announced. "At this moment I play Last Resort, bringing out Rainbow Ancient City - Rainbow Ruin in favor of Neo Space!"

Juudai frowned slightly as he drew a card as per Last Resort's effect, getting Attack Nullification. "Direct attack, E-Hero Grand Neos!" The humanoid leaped across the duel field, planting his drill-hand squarely in Johan's solar plexus, much to the horror and delight of the crowd. When the smoke settled Johan was staggering, 2500 Life Points lost.

"I set one card and end my turn! E-Hero Grand Neos is returned to my deck now according to his effect."

"Well played, Juudai," Yubel offered as the turned passed to Johan.

Juudai inclined his head subtly, so as to not draw unneeded attention to his communication with the air around him.

"My turn. I draw." Johan picked up the top card from his deck and immediately played it. "C'mon! I summon Gem Beast Sapphire Pegasus!" A refined sapphire appeared on his field, and from it burst a white pegasus. The beast looked back at Johan and then to the opponent.

"Is it time, finally, for you to indulge your darkness? I will do my very best, Johan."

Johan nodded seriously. It was his time indeed, but he could help but feel that this all was somehow wrong. Yet here it was: his stage, his opponent, the whole world watching...

"I activate Sapphire Pegasus' effect to place Ruby Carbuncle in my Magic and Trap zone!" A chunk of unrefined ruby appeared near him. "Now, Sapphire Pegasus, attack! Sapphire Tornado!"Just as the beast was to collide with Juudai, he activated Attack Nullification, pushing back Sapphire Pegasus' attack and forcing Johan's Battle Phase to end.

Johan appeared unfazed as he placed three cards face-down. "My turn is done."

"My turn!" Juudai proclaimed. Drawing one card and adding to his hand, he selected one card and held it above his head. "I play magic card E - Emergency Call!"

Johan bit his lip. "Reverse card open! Mine Blasting!"

"Magic card activate!" Juudai shouted, holding up a second magic card "Quick Summon!"

When the chain had resolved Juudai had E-Hero Neos back on his field and Johan had selected five cards—Gem Beasts Emerald Tortoise, Topaz Tiger, Amethyst Cat, and Amber Mammoth, and the trap The One Worth Protecting—from his deck and discarded them, taking a moment to thank each of his family members for its sacrifice.

Gazing at Sapphire Peagaus, Juudai pointed towards it and ordered "Neos, attack Sapphire Pegasus!"

"Reverse card open! Gem Split! This allows me to halve Neos' attack points." Johan announced, his arms held up and his elbows bent. He sent one card—a copy of Gem Beast Amber Mammoth—from his deck directly to his graveyard as he watched Neos shatter and dissipate. Juudai drew one card.

"Juudai, do you know what he is doing? All of his beasts are on the field now," said Yubel from over Juudai's shoulder.

"Yeah, I have a pretty good idea. And I probably know what his face-down is, too."

"Will you play that card, then?"

"Yeah, I think I will." He smiled wistfully. "I set up two cards and end my turn."

"At this moment I play activate my trap--Rainbow's Gravity!" Johan announced as the last holographic card on his field stood up to reveal itself. He felt a suspension of gravity as the volume of the crowd grew to dangerous heights at the prospect of seeing the legendary Ultimate Gem God Rainbow Dragon. Before him manifested the Rainbow Dragon in all its resplendent splendor, its gold-lined body glinting and its wings outstretched. Its cry was terrible, only adding to the chaos ruling the stadium. Johan did his best to ignore the surrounding crowd, gazing at Juudai and Yubel.

"I skip my Draw Phase according to the effect of Mine Blasting," Johan announced. "Right, Sapphire Pegasus..."

They all cheered even louder. Only five turns into the duel and already a certain legendary deity had been revealed for the first time on a televised duel, an intense rivalry had unfolded, and a clear winner was determined. It was only a simple matter now.

Sapphire Pegasus, who stood at the base of great dragon, looked back at him and, appearing truly concerned. "Johan, are you—"

"At this moment I activate Kuriboh's Calling Flute!" Juudai announced. Both duellists watched as Hane Kuriboh popped onto Juudai's field and looked around, as if in a daze. Gathering herself, she then looked resolutely at Johan's Rainbow Dragon and cried _kuri kuri._

"This is it, then?" Yubel asked, hovering over Juudai's shoulder. She could not help but feel that it should be her winning this duel for him, but if fate wanted it this way than she would just have to accept it because, unlike her pursuing Juudai and pulling him into alternate dimensions in an attempt to waken to himself and secure the love that was rightly hers, there really was nothing she could do about all of this.

"Magic card activate! Transcendent Wings!"

Detached, Yubel watched the tiny Hane Kuriboh's wings rapidly grow and expand, so that each one was larger than her body, even now that it was partially encased in gold armor. A dazzling white light engulfed the entire stadium, burning the retinas of those who were foolish enough to try and see through it. She stood calm and composed as she watched the light resolve to reveal Johan on his knees, staring at the ground and vaguely aware of the world. She was demure when Juudai, unable to fight back his urge to stay grounded and avoid any awkward situations, walked over to Johan and offered a hand to help him up.

Johan accepted, and allowed himself to be hoisted up. The master of ceremonies caught up with them and congratulated Juudai on being the first victory in the NAC and asked Johan (who he truly was sorry for, really) how it felt to have the first loss of the NAC.

Johan considered the question for a moment.

How he felt...The darkness had receded now, probably would be for a while to come for it had been satisfied. The issue with the contract still stood, but he had a feeling that would resolve itself easily. Beyond that he felt utterly dysphoric. Something had been strained, of that he was sure, but it was still lingering and...almost completely untouched in the end.

"I'm a bit more aware now, I suppose. It was an experience." He offered a radiant smile to the camera, stealing a glance at Juudai before turning to walk away. And he said nothing else to any reporter, master of ceremony, or fan.


	5. Pearl

The end of Iridescence is finally here! A world of thanks to everyone who helped me out with this project and their support! In particular I wish to thank **Heleentje** and **avalokannon. **Thanks to everyone who favourited this story and reviewed. Everything has been wonderful, and this story has gone beyond all expectations. I just hope that I will not disappoint anyone!

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own anything here._

_. . . _

_As I turn to you and smile, I wonder if it is true. We may deviate from one another, pulled by the gravity of our own obligations, but I have feel that we'll meet again. And if not, I always have our promise._

_In memory of friends who are out there somewhere in the world following their own paths. Heather, Drei, Rachel...this one's for you._

_. . . _

* * *

It was somewhere between Corona Plaza and Grand Central when Johan found himself jolted from his sleep, his palms sweating and the sounds of the outside world quickly rushing over him and gurgling in the space left by his fleeing dream. He gripped his deck in one hand. A woman on the other side of the subway compartment looked at him questioningly but soon lost interest, turning her head and gazing absently at the rushing darkness. To his side Juudai stirred, and Ruby appeared on his shoulder. Feeling like he was being backed into a corner, Johan sat back and closed his eyes.

Ruby puled, nudging Juudai from from his light doze. Juudai, rubbing his left eye, looked around, his gaze finally falling on Johan. The clanking and jolting of the subway compartments filled the silence that hovered over them and the other passengers. Ruby climbed Johan's shoulder and chirped, this time receiving a challenge from Hane Kuriboh. The two duel spirits tussled in the air. Juudai was careful to keep from looking at them lest normal people think him gazing at empty air. After a while Johan shifted toward Juudai and, with one eye opened, laughed quietly. He looked as if he was meaning to say something, but he shut his eye and shifted back so that he was facing the opposite window.

Juudai regarded Johan a bit longer, until Yubel appeared in front of him and waited for him, while he waited to make sure that anyone who might have heard him thought he was whispering to Johan.

"Hey, Yubel."

"Juudai."

They both fell silent, waiting for the conversation to go somewhere. Finally, it was Yubel who shifted her intangible weight and looked Juudai directly in the eye, asking, "Where is that it we go from here?"

"We go back to the hotel and figure it out from there," Juudai breathed. "Maybe stay with Asuka for a day. We've got a bit of money left from our sponsors, and Johan has his savings. There should be more than enough for plane tickets."

"Plane tickets?"

"Yeah. No matter what, I know that we need to get out of this city soon. It's not good for Johan or me. Always sounds and busyness—my thoughts are beginning to get clogged up." Juudai brought a hand up to the side of his head to demonstrate, tapping his temple. "If it continues I might even forget my name."

Yubel nodded seriously, a bit bemused as to what Juudai had meant, wondering just what he had been meaning to say.

--

It was decided that they would leave three days later, when it was time to check out of their rooms. So they pledged to take advantage of the city and its many sights they had yet to see, planning to take in as much as they could from the place they both figured they would never see again. Johan remained moderately happy albeit a bit lethargic, leaving Juudai to wonder what was still bothering him. Despite his apologies from yesterday, Johan was still reluctant to talk about what was on his mind, ultimately deciding to just dismiss the topic by coasting on to a new one as soon as the conversation shifted to him. Juudai remained suspicious, but by the end of the day he was no longer bothering to bring up the topic.

When Johan withdrew early for the night Juudai had a renewed suspicion that something was up. Around middle night he knocked on Johan's door as a novelty before entering, finding Johan curled up at the foot of his bed. He entertained the idea of turning around and heading for his own room, but decided that it would not hurt to wake Johan up and save his back from cramping. As he approached Johan, he noted that the boy was shaking. While he mused on what he was going to do next Amethyst Cat materialised and stared meaningfully at him. Several moments passed until she sat down and blinked.

"What is it that you want?"

"I'm not sure myself," Juudai answered, not realising how cryptic he sounded. Amethyst regarded him with a tilted head.

"What do you need?"

"I'm good, actually. Maybe I was just stopping by." Juudai observed Johan as he paused. "Tell me, is Johan all right? He's shaking."

"Johan is tired. He may not tell us, but we know that the rush of this city resounds in his eardrums and mind even when he sleeps. There is so much discord in his mind. He wants to move, to get away from it, but finds himself stuck."

"Oh...?"

"It's not your fault, though," she added matter-of-factly. "He is making a decision to be here. So we must do everything we can to help him, short of taking him away. But if it comes down to it, maybe we will have to."

"Ah, I see," Juudai said as he took a step towards Johan, who whispered something in his sleep. Amethyst looked to Johan and then turned back to face Juudai. There was a flicker of something in her eyes.

"If there is nothing you need, please leave. Johan needs his rest."

"Of course--His mind needs some rest. I'll see him tomorrow, then." And with an insouciant look, Juudai turned on his heel and left.

Amethyst stayed sitting a bit longer, observing Johan until he quit shivering. She jumped up onto his bed and curled up next to him.

--

Yubel thought for a moment. Then she sighed and thought some more.

Her Juudai had come a long way for sure. He had known where he was going, which was where ever he was needed next. That was not a problem, of course, as being a vagabond was a good job as any could be for the boy who was beyond all conventional notions. She really could not see him happy in any other role. So it was a good thing that he did not pursue the Pro Leagues in the end. His crown would come from his work with the common and disfranchised. There was no greater work left for him to do in this lifetime, after all.

Yet some of his resolve seemed to be fading--a dent in his sense of duty--which was something she was not happy with.

Maybe it would resolve itself.

Maybe.

She sighed again.

The Haou would have never have had been affected like this.

Juudai was set to help the proles this time, not massacre them, for all of that had been resolved long ago.

Everything had been settled already. Everything should have stayed settled.

It was time for him to get a move on before anything else was displaced.

--

Johan and Juudai sat down for lunch at a café not too far away from the hotel they were staying in. The place was decorated in sombre blues which had little competition from the black walls. Light from the windows was caught in rotating prism hung from the ceiling and flung onto the surround walls. The lighting was kept low, giving one the impression of sitting far under the ocean. Juudai ordered a complete meal while Johan refused to have any more than a cup of tea and a muffin. He currently occupied himself with the tea alternating between swirling the spoon around in the brown drink, stopping to assay the building whirlpool, and resuming his crude alchemy.

Juudai watched this process for awhile. Johan was methodical, giving every bit of sugar and cream a chance to dissolve and mix into the tea so that the results were perfect. He expected such a thing of Johan, of such a keen duellist. Just to find out what affecting him so...

"Yes?" Johan asked, peering at Juudai with a wan smile.

"Huh? Oh..."

"You were looking at me like you wanted to say something," Johan pointed out. He set his teaspoon down.

"Right...I do. Johan, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean? I'm pretty sure that I'm fine, if but a bit tired."

Juudai looked at him blankly. "There's something up. Just tell me."

Johan thought for a moment; Juudai's concern deserved more than a poor dismissal. "Well, I could do with a bit more sleep. And a bit more certainty about what to do next, but it will all work itself out in due time. It always does, doesn't it?"

"Those things are not what are bugging you as much as something else is." Juudai leaned in over the table and looked intensely at Johan. "What is that has thrown your mental state out of balance?"

Johan blinked. Cogitating on himself was something that was harder for him that it was for most other people. Himself...his feelings. Very slowly he leaned in so that Juudai and he were but an exquisite millimetre apart. He reached out for Juudai's arm, which was lain on the table, and tugged at the boy's jacket as a signal.

"I'm just not sure what to do...I'm so tired, but I have so much energy I need to spend somehow," Johan breathed. "I'm as restless as my darkness. Even after our duel I still want to destroy you. Of course it is because I'm a duellist, but still...It will never rest, it seems."

He waited. Juudai made no response so he continued, "But who can hold it against me? Ambition and passion never rest."

Juudai pulled away and nodded.

"But I promise you that I will not hurt you," Johan continued with a smile. "That is all that I have for you, however. I'm not sure what else it could be that is troubling me."

"Thank you," Juudai said, and in the next moment his food was delivered. He was at least glad that Johan was surfacing.

--

On the way back to the hotel Johan was drawn in by a crafts fair that he could not bear to pass a fifth time without stopping by at least once. The place was a village of tents and stalls banded together in commercial unity. A competitive air charged the gathering though, a desire to feed themself and their family driving the shouts and tactics of the shopkeepers. His pace was slow, allowing him time to look at everything there was to take in. Juudai followed close by, taking care to not get to far ahead of Johan.

Yubel appeared behind Juudai and stretched her wings and arms. She was clearly unimpressed by the collection of artistic clutter, but humoured Juudai when he pointed something out to her, commenting the particular object as was appropriate. After about twenty minutes of this it was she who finally pointed something out. A pair of unmarked dog tags glinted pleasantly under the light of a revolving strobe light.

Juudai floated over to her and peered at the dog tags.

"You know what those are, right?" he asked quietly so as to not draw unneeded attention to himself.

"Yes," she answered.

Of course she knew what they were, what their significance was. Symbols of duty. How appropriate, she thought, as Juudai fingered the dog tags. A set of two—one for her duty and one for his.

Juudai flipped them over in his hands, rubbing a thumb against the smooth surface.

Then she figured that such a small space would never be able to cover of all of Juudai's name and duties: The Prince of Darkness, Juudai Yuuki, Saviour, Haou...

Nearby Johan stood regarding a particularly opalescent pear set in a copper pin. He picked it up and discovered the pearl to be iridescent, too. Somewhere inside that white, luminous coating was a minuscule piece of grit. Nothing big, but still an irritant that a clam had deemed a danger.

Juudai and Johan set their respective item down and met to one side of the stall.

"I'm ready to head back," Johan said.

Juudai nodded. And so they left.

--

Juudai was unable to find himself tired that night. The clock flashed two in the morning. They would be within the day, soon to be confronting the future. He knew that the uncertain future was where he was meant to go, but for Johan be could not say the same thing. He could not say where their next competition would come from.

He fingered Johan's copy of Trap Strap, taking a moment to observe Ruby Carbuncle jumping over Hero Signal. There could have been a rainbow beneath Ruby's arc. The white Katakana and Kanji of the card's text blurred as he allowed his eyes to close in a lie of sleep. He opened his eyes and looked at his alarm clock—2:04.

Not even close.

--

Johan was faced with the same dilemma as Juudai. He had been attacked by his second wind when he was least expecting, so he turned to physical activity to exhaust him. He reached and pulled, reached and pulled, dragging himself through the water as he lapped the swimming pool. The water gave into him, though it was resistant enough to weaken him bit by bit.

Water was aide of the creator from whence all life sprang forth. The universal solvent, a baby rocking in a mother's womb, a foundation for a community of desert nomads to settle around...He continued with his reaching and pulling, laboring through the water in hopes that it would beget his body a want for rest.

Inside the darkened room the only light was cast by dancing refractions from the waves. The pool lights were not particularly bright, but the water multiplied them into brilliance. Water vapor curled up languidly from the pool, hovered for a few moments, and then dissipated. All was silent save for the sharp sound of flesh cutting through water.

Ruby materialised and floated after Johan, trailing him as he made his determined way across the pool and back again and again and again. She puled a few times, but did nothing otherwise.

Reaching and pulling, Johan found that he could no longer feel his body. He was not yet tired. So he continued. Dawn would be here soon. The rush would be back on. The future was approaching with every second that slipped by. He had a decision to make but not the will to make it. Yet he was a duellist; he made decisions in the rush and confusion of battle.

So he would make a decision.

Just not now.

When Juudai first walked in he was unaware of the new presence. It took him a couple laps to realise that there was someone else with him, standing at the edge of the pool and observing his struggle. Juudai smiled at Johan as he swam over to edge where he was standing, and sat on his haunches as he waited.

"Feeling better?" Juudai asked with a grin.

"Not really. I can't get tired."

"Same here. Something doesn't want us to sleep."

"I think I know what it is, though. But, Juudai..."

"Yes, Johan?"

Johan, who had been treading water, grabbed onto the tiled edge of the pool and gazed up at Juudai. Such a look was in his eyes that Juudai bristled. He was aware that he was still not yet tired.

"Do you think a dire promise can shine through the most vast darkness? Even if only slightly?"

"...I'm not sure what you're asking, Johan."

"Right...do you think that a promise can withstand the transition between lifetimes?"

"Like reincarnation? Well, my promise with Yubel is still around...so yeah, why not." Juudai smiled slightly, his head tilted. "But why do you ask?"

"I've just been thinking about some things lately."

"Is that what has been bugging you?"

"You know...I can't say for sure. I've just been having some strange thoughts lately," Johan admitted. "I guess it's just been my darkness more than anything. What to do, huh?"

"Well..." Juudai stood up for a moment and looked around the room, watching the latticework of light on the walls. "If it's that, I think that I might be able to help. But first we've got to get you back to your room."

"Really? Why not here?"

"That would work, too," Juudai said as he leaned over. He offered a hand to Johan, and helped the boy pull himself out of the pool. "It's a gift for you, if you will."

And before Johan could ask what kind of gift, Juudai was leaning him with one hand pressed firmly against his left breast.

"Such warm chaos," Juudai breathed.

There was silence. Johan felt a calm overtake him. He finally was aware of tired he was.

"It's not much, for the darkness will fester and come back, but for now you can rest," Juudai said with his head inclined. He touched his other hand to Johan's shoulder and grinned. "But you're strong. I'm sure you'll overcome it after this with no problem. I'm around you, so your darkness was given fuel. But soon it will be no problem."

"You..."

"Yeah."

"Mmm. I'm going to go back to Europe. There are people who need me there, I think," Johan said.

"That'd be good. I'm sure that there are plenty of people that could be connected with the spirits." Juudai pulled away from Johan and watched as he dried himself off and collected his things wordlessly. They left the pool room through the gymnasium. No one as in the hallways that they walked to the lobby, and they saw no one as they waited for the elevator. Johan thought about commenting on the lack of others, but he found himself a bit too tired to waste words. And, of course, it was only natural that no one else what up this early.

By the time they got to his room he was sure that he would be asleep within moments. He moved quickly to suitcase to collect his sleeping clothes and then to the bathroom to shower, and Juudai sat on the edge of his bed to wait. There was span of ten minutes in which the only sound was the rushing water followed by the howl of a hair dryer. When Johan emerged from the bathroom Juudai stood up and walked over to help him make his to the waiting bed.

Johan was not averse to the help, did not protest, only allowed himself to be guided. He focussed what thought he could on Juudai, doing his best to memorise as many details of his appearance as possible. When Juudai and he made it to the bed he leaned over and pulled back his sheets, carefully lifting each leg up, and got beneath the covers. He was warm again. Juudai sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled.

"Heh, you're tired now, huh?"

"Yeah," Johan answered.

"Good. I have a feeling that you'll sleep for a while, but you'll be well-rested when you wake up."

"Thank you...All I need is a good rest."

"I'll handle your plane ticket, too. In the evening you'll finally be able to go home."

Johan nodded, thankful for Juudai's unbidden help. "Juudai...Thanks for being here with me."

"Of course. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Would you tell me a story? I'd like to look back for just a bit."

"Like a bed time story?" Juudai smiled. "Do you know the one about the Prince of Darkness and his protector?"

"Yes, I think I do." Johan paused a moment, enjoying the warmth these bonds brought him. "She was a very determined guardian with a brilliant promise. So you know...Why don't you tell it to me again?"

And so Juudai spoke of his past life and of Dark World and of everything that happened in between. A prince and a guardian made an inclusive promise that could make even the most grave and committed of covenants quiver in the light of its brilliance. It was a promise that could transcend lifetimes...

...And Johan could not help but wonder if it was more than just one lifetime that it had overcome. He was Johan Andersen, the European champion and master of the Gem Beasts. The Gem Beasts were of the rainbow, a lucent symbol of protection from a promise made long ago. It may not have been his place to think of such things, but he could not help but wonder if maybe it could have been, even if he had no idea how. Regardless, it was a thought that served as his boat as Juudai's voice lulled him to sleep.

Just a bit more and he would be gone. Sleep was such a promising thing that he did not wish to fight it, but he also was aware of what would have if he did drift away.

"Juudai, will you stay with me a bit longer after I fall asleep?"

"Of course," Juudai answered, nodding slightly.

And so, with a bright smile touching his lips, Johan allowed himself to fall. Even if only a little while, Juudai would still be there. And he would be by his side, as was right by the bonds that may have endured the trial of shifting lifetimes.

For just a bit longer Juudai would be there...yet the future did not seem to be too bleak. He knew that when he woke up again everything would be as clear as a rainbow.

--

It was but a fleeting thought she had while Juudai walked down the lonely hallway, but Yubel still found it entertaining. A dog tag was meant to be found along with a corpse to identify it. It was, in its own way, a reassurance that their struggle and sacrifices would never be forgotten. When someone saw that symbol of duty they would know the identity of the one who had given their life for something dear to them and gone through hell for its behalf. She wondered what her dog tag would look like. Then she found her thoughts occupied by Juudai as he came upon the lobby and took a moment to look around.

"Is something wrong?" Yubel asked as Juudai scowled.

"Just thinking about something is all."

"Oh? Is something bothering you?"

"Not at all." He smiled.

Yubel considered him a moment. "Well then, do you know your name now for sure—who you are, everything that comes with that? Because we have a lot of work to do."

Juudai gazed at her, thinking about everything that had happened in the past week. It was not that he meant to leave Johan behind, but it was not the boy's place to be flying from place to place. There were other paths to be walked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I do. I'm Juudai Yuuki, the Prince of Darkness whose crown is his deeds." He gathered his bag and slung it over his shoulder with a flourish. "Shall we go?"

"After you," she said, smiling.

And so protector and saviour continued on their path, not bound by any ties or promises save for those between the two of them.

**END**

* * *


End file.
